News & Media Releases
Sport Bay of Plenty welcomes new board trustees
Sport Bay of Plenty is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to its Board of Trustees. Cheryl Bowie, Glenn McGahan and Andrew Te Whaiti join six other sitting trustees and will bring a range of skills, expertise and experience to their positions.
Each brings a deep commitment to creating positive change in our local play, active recreation, and sport sector. Their diverse backgrounds and passion for fostering healthy, active communities will be invaluable as we continue to advocate for and implement initiatives that inspire more people to get moving, and ensure that sport and recreation are accessible to all.
Alongside the three new trustees, Melanie Aiken has also been appointed as a board observer - a role in which she will be able to gain further board experience to complement her previous experiences in the hockey community.
In the past 12 months Sport Bay of Plenty has farewelled three board members: Brian Pointon was a trustee with Sport Bay of Plenty for seven years, and Sarah Elliot joined the Board in 2019. Megan Tunks (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Whakatōhea) joined the board in March 2022 and departed in October due to a move outside the Bay of Plenty.
New Sport Bay of Plenty board members
Cheryl Bowie
Cheryl is the founding director of Mind Coach, a boutique consultancy focused on coaching and leadership development across New Zealand. With over 20 years of experience in leadership, consulting, and change management, she is a well-regarded coach and facilitator known for helping leaders unlock their full potential. Cheryl is passionate about the human side of business, supporting clients to align personal and professional goals through approaches grounded in neuroscience, storytelling, emotional literacy, and mindfulness.
A lifelong sportsperson, Cheryl competed nationally in rhythmic gymnastics and served on the Gymnastics NZ board for four years. She has recently picked up golf, a game that constantly challenges her, plays Pickleball in her local community and enjoys e-biking the many local trails. Cheryl has two adult children and recently moved to the Bay of Plenty with her partner living on a beautiful lifestyle property which also keeps her active. With a strong belief in the power of sport to foster resilience and wellbeing, Cheryl looks forward to contributing to her new community through Sport Bay of Plenty.
Glenn McGahan
Glenn joins the board with 25+ years of professional commercial and governance experience, a passion for fitness and wellbeing, and a background in sports administration. He has worked across Australia and New Zealand primarily in the advertising and marketing sector developing and implementing strategic plans with experience in local and central government agencies. He has experience with organisational transformation, business analysis, and risk mitigation.
He holds a Diploma in Business – Marketing from the University of Auckland and is currently the Treasurer of Waioira Trust and on the Board of Tūhoe Fisheries Quota Ltd. He has been a director of 608 Investments, Nativeworks Group Ltd, and North Harbour Marist Rugby Club.
Glenn has a background in high-performance sports as a player, coach, and administrator and has seen the benefits that flow to lifetime learning from an active mindset. He believes active minds and bodies create great communities.
Glenn is Tūhoe, resides in Ōhope, and is married with three children.
Andrew Te Whaiti
Ko Takitimu te waka
Ko Tararua te maunga
Ko Ruamahanga te awa
Ngāti Kahungunu raua Kaitahu tōku iwi
Ko Papawai te marae
Ko Andrew Te Whaiti ahau.
With a creative mindset at the heart of his management ethos, Andrew thrives on cultivating values-based organisations. His contributions to international boards — such as the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville, Kentucky, Los Angeles Tourism Board, the Ngāti Kahungunu Investment Trust and The Sir John Kirwan Foundation, attest to his balanced governance and management understanding.
An alumnus of Waikato and Massey University, with an MBA.
Andrew is also an avid athlete, having spent three seasons playing professional rugby in Italy and London. A representative of NZ Universities and the Waikato and Bay of Plenty NPC rugby teams, he continues to fuel his passion for sport by surfing.
Mel Aiken
Mel lives in Rotorua and works in Te Puke for the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre as the Programme Manager - Cultivar Innovation, working with the science teams to help produce innovative new Kiwifruit for Zespri. Prior to moving to the Bay of Plenty Mel worked for 10 years in Wellington for various Government entities and has a strong knowledge of the government funding landscape.
Mel has been involved in hockey all her life playing and coaching across various levels and currently coaches in Tauranga. Mel believes that sport can be a useful tool to build character, but the content of that character is dependent on the quality of the environment. This belief underpins her coaching philosophy where she focuses on using sport as a vehicle to develop leadership and interpersonal skills in young athletes.
Mel believes strongly in the impact physical activity can have on wellbeing and mental health and is grateful for the incredible walking and running trails around Rotorua and the wider region.
